Late Afternoon Updates

Sorry for the absence. I haven't been listening to the radio, so I'm not sure what's the latest. Here's what I know.

1) A security guard at RFK Stadium spotted at least one water stalker hanging around the DCU equipment sale this morning. The security guard wanted to know if Nicky was still alive. I assured her that he was. Incidentally, although the equipment sale started at noon, people started lining up at 7 a.m. or so in order to get the best jerseys. Dedicated, these folks.

2) Speaking of the equipment sale, Two Thirds stopped by and bought a Rimando jersey for $95. Why not, right? Could turn into a collectors item once Nick joins the CIA or whatever.

3) Speaking of Two Thirds, I just spoke with him and he's not super optimistic. Unlike the working stiffs in this competition, he works a bar owner's schedule, which means weekends are tough. If he's gonna win this thing, he better do it soon. Unless it lasts until Monday, at which point he's back in it.

4) Speaking of, um, something, I randomly ran into Danger Mouse, a well known Big Soccer poster and Barra Brava drum player, on the streets of downtown D.C. this afternoon. We had coffee. And did you see on one of these posts below, one of the eliminated water warriors and blog commenters claims she knows Fro, the CAAZone celeb? These msgboard posters really are famous.

5) Speaking of United in general, a team employee beckoned me to the Stadium earlier today with the promise of some Rimando resolution. The employee then led me into the media room in the stadium's basement, at which point Nick and several of his crew members, whose names I'll protect, jumped out of the darkness and attempted to kidnap me and take over the blog. With a water gun. Seriously. Using my free hand--they weren't very good with their hostage rope--I called my boss to see whether this would cross some sort of journalistic line. He agreed that it probably would. Strongly agreed. Then we all sort of sat around glumly for a while. We felt like our dad had just yelled at us or something. Then I walked to the Metro and talked to a friend of mine on the phone about how I was managing to flush my journalistic credentials down the toilet in such an amazingly short period of time.

6) Speaking of water, Roche has apparently announced that as of 5 p.m., Nick goes from hunted to hunter. He's been given a water gun (the one I saw, I guess), and he's now able to eliminate his stalkers. He and his crew are out on patrol as we speak. I guess "crew" is a bad word to use, given Columbus and all. Any suggestions?